


Cat's in the Cradle

by obfonteri (aspiringenjolras)



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Guardians of the Galaxy - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Comfort, Father-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-17
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-11-15 06:41:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11225439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aspiringenjolras/pseuds/obfonteri
Summary: Yondu and Rocket spend the night in the cell on the Eclector.





	Cat's in the Cradle

Yondu knows he should try to sleep. If there's any hope of escaping in the morning, he should be rested and alert. But between the uninviting feeling of the cold hard floor and the fear of what's to come, he finds himself unable to let sleep overtake him. He leans up against the wall and just closes his eyes, hoping he'll pass out from pure exhaustion. 

The sound of scratching on the metal floor jerks him back into full consciousness. Maybe, he thinks, the little tree has finally found its way over here. Eyes snapping open, he looks for the sound of the noise. It's coming from... within the cell? He can't see super well in the murky darkness, but he can vaguely make out the shape of the raccoon, lying down across from him. He's twitching, nails scrabbling on the floor (so  _ that’s _ what he's hearing), and making small whining noises. Yondu's about to tell him to shut up so he can catch some shut-eye when it occurs to him that the raccoon is probably asleep himself. And if he's asleep... he's probably having a nightmare. 

It's just to make him be quiet, Yondu tells himself as he scoots over quietly to the other side of the cell. Now next to him, he carefully reaches over and places a hand on the back of the raccoon's neck. He stills, for a moment, and Yondu moves his hand, thinking his job is done. But as soon as he does, the raccoon starts twitching again and lets out a high pitched whine. He curls up into a tight ball and just  _ shakes _ . Yondu runs a hand over his face. "You really gonna make me do this, Rat?" he grumbles, and runs his fingers through the soft fur on his head again. Immediately he starts to settle down.

Yondu doesn't really mind. It's not that different from the times he had to comfort a young Quill at night- not that he did that without complaining either, but he could never help smiling a little bit when he saw the Terran settle into a comfortable sleep. This is the same thing. Still petting the raccoon, Yondu lets his lids slide slut and his breathing slows. Under his hand, he can feel the raccoon shift, but it isn't a panicked, violent movement this time, so he ignores it. He's probably just getting comfortable. That is, until there's a little raccoon body pressed firmly up against Yondu's leg, and a fuzzy raccoon muzzle in his lap. He cracks one eye open to look down at him. He's still asleep, somehow. 

The petting slows for a moment, and in retribution, the raccoon clings tighter to yondu's leg, claws digging into the leather of his pants and nearly hitting skin. Tough little bugger. Yondu sighs. "You ain't in a very good spot for me to pet ya, Rat," he says, knowing full we'll he can't hear. "C'mere, then." Half-picking him up and half-dragging him, Yondu somehow manages to deposit the raccoon fully in his lap without waking him. Little guy must've really been wiped out. 

Yondu hopes the critter remembers none of this in the morning. Neither of them can speak of this, because Yondu  _ will _ kill anyone who finds out. With one hand on his head and the other rubbing his back gently, Yondu eases him back into quiet contentment. And eventually, he too starts to drift off to sleep. The petting slows with his breathing, but his arms stay casually draped around the little body in his lap, and his hands stay where they are, and the raccoon doesn't stir for the rest of the night. 

Yondu wakes first, and decides to move the raccoon before he has to face the embarrassment that Yondu expects he would feel if he woke up in that position. He lifts him off his lap and only the floor beside him. There are no protests, but he still curls back up against Yondu's side, and the Ravager can't help but stroke his headfur again, smiling at him almost fondly. When the little raccoon does finally wake up, he doesn't comment on the blue hand that's been resting atop his head- he just sits up, shakes himself off, and snips at Yondu for sleeping the morning away when they have an escape to plan. Neither one complains.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little thing I thought of as I was going to bed and wrote when I woke up in the morning. I sure do love the friendship between these two. If you enjoyed, leave me a kudos and a comment, or come say hi on tumblr at [obfonteri](http://obfonteri.tumblr.com).


End file.
